ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19734, 26 September 1929, Page 9

ASSEMBLY OF THE LEAGUE.

! BRITAIN'S INTENTIONS.

j LORD CECII/9 ASSURANCE.

(BUTISH OmClli WIRXLBSS.)

I'UGBY, September 24.

Lord Cecil expressed astonishment at the League Assembly at Geueva to-day at the suggestion that t»G was trying to diminish security. He said: "I am amazed that ar-v member of this Assembly should think such a thing. I should be the first to oppose such d course. I have onlv one thing in mind and that is peace. Peace is the greatest security vou can get. Peace can only be obtained by a reddetion of armaments, and you cannot. get a reduction of armaments without limitation of war material."

He announced that Great Britain intended to ratify the Convention on the private manufacture of arms and munitions. No country, he said, was anxious to pledge itself until it saw that other countries would do the same; It was possible, therefore, that Great Britain might ratify the Convention with a reservation demanding tl|e signatures of the other countries.

On the broad question Of disattaa' ment, Lord Cecil said that he realised that the Assembly for the time being could do nothing directly ill this matter. It had appointed the* Ptfr paratory Commission and it was for that Commission to take positive Steps and to draft the Convention. Orities of his resolution had attributed varying motives to it. Sotne thought that it was designed to postpone the work of disarmament and others that it WaS intended to obstruct the work. Both charges were unjust and unfounded. He simply sought to emphasise Certain general principles which he believed to bo of vast importance. Lord Cecil repeated the points in his resolution, namely, the application of tho same principles to reduction and limitation of personnel and material, Whether on land, sea, or in the air, limitation of strength of forces, either by numbers or by a period of training, or both, and limitation of material. LEAGUE COVENANT.

REVISION AGREED TO. (Received September 25th, 7.45 p.m.) GENEVA, September 23. The League of Nations Assembly Rgfeed to the British proposals urging the necessity for ft revision of the League Covenant as a result Of the general adhesion of League members to the Kellogg Pact. It was decided to Invite the Council to formulate an amendment and report to the next meeting of the Assembly.— Australian Press Association. DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE'S REPORT ADOPTED. GENEVA, September »4. Thn League Assembly adopted the report and resolution of the Disarmament Committee. Lord Cecil announced that Great Britain had decided to ratify the Arms Convention, dealing with traffic in arms.—Australian Press Association. OPTIONAL CLAUSE, DOMINION'S SIGNATURE. TEXT OF DECLARATION. (FBESS ASSOCIATION rELEGEAU.) WELLINGTON, September 25. Following is the text of the declaration mado by the High Commissioner (Sir James Parr) on behalf *of New Zealand, when signing the optional clause of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice: "On behalf of his Majesty's Government in the Dominion of New Zealand, and, subject to ratification, 1 accept as compulsory, ipso facto, and without special . convention —on condition of reciprocity—the jurisdiction of the Court in conformity with Article 36, paragraph 2. of the Statute of the Court for a period of ten years, and thereafter until such time as notice may be given to terminate its acceptance ovor all disputes arising after the ratification of the present declaration with regard to situations or facts subsequent to the said ratification other than:

Disputes in regard to which the parties to the dispute have agreed or shall agree to have recourse to some other method of peaceful settlement, And disputes with the Government of any other member of the League which is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations, all of which disputes shall be settled in such manner as the parties have agreed or shall agree, And disputes with regard to questions which, by international law, fall exclusively within the jurisdiction of the Dominion of New Zealand, and subject to the condition that his Majesty's Government in New Zealand shall reserve the right to require that proceedings in the Court shall be suspended in respect to any dispute which has been submitted to and is under consideration bv the > Council of the League, provided notice to suspend is given after the dispute has been submitted to the Council and is given within ten days of the notification of the initiation of proceedings in the Court, and provided also that such suspension shall be limited to a period of twelve months, or such longer period as may be agreed to by the parties to the dispute, or determined by a decision of all the members of the Council other than the parties to the dispute."